Pope Adrian I

Pope Adrian I (700-25 December 795) was the Pope from 772 to 795, succeeding Pope Stephen III and preceding Pope Leo III.

Biography
Hadrianus was born in 700 AD in Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Italy. Adrian was consecrated as Pope in 772, and he was the son of the Roman noble Theodore. During his papacy, Adrian defended against Desiderius of Lombardy, and Adrian sought the assistance of Charlemagne, king of the Franks. Charlemagne married Desiderius' daughter, but he decided to invade the Lombard kingdom and he conquered the kingdom, gaining the Iron Crown of Lombardy. Adrian struck the earliest papal coin and dated his documents by the reign of Charlemagne as a reward for his obedience. During his reign, the Vikings also began their raids on Europe and North Africa.